


Return to Normal

by MadKingEdgar



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coffee Dad Sakura Sojiro, F/M, Female Protagonist, Fluff, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:35:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22965499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadKingEdgar/pseuds/MadKingEdgar
Summary: After almost two months of captivity, Akira Kurusu is given back her freedom. Struggling with the shift from imprisonment to everyday life, she is visited on Valentine’s Day by Goro Akechi, the detective who had stolen her heart throughout the previous year.(What-if Valentine’s Day scene with Goro Akechi and Female Protagonist)
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 4
Kudos: 62





	Return to Normal

What was once familiar had become so alien. It had only been two months, but now she felt like a stranger in the place she could formerly call home. Without the chains, without the white walls and cold stares, everything felt odd. Even the simple task of making a coffee took three times longer than it should have, the various hours of studying under the Boss refusing to aid her in any way as she stumbled her way through the basic brewing process.

Sojiro was forgiving for today, gentling reminding her of the next step she needed to take or quickly taking over a complex brew and not saying a word about it afterwards. If it was any other time, he’d pull his employee aside and scold them for a lack of attention, but this was not a case of the ordinary. It was easy to see how violently her hands shook, how dark circles peeked out from beneath the rims of her glasses. A brave face when entering the cafe meant nothing in the face of learning how to live again.

It was busier today, for whatever reason. People poured into the shop in pairs, spending their time chatting and ordering tea. It was an unlucky time to attempt to return work, but she had assured Sojiro that it wasn’t too soon to start helping out again. She was likely wrong.

The simple sound of the TV became a white noise to the duo as they worked side by side, saying barely a word as they prepared themselves for whoever would come next. It was late in the evening now, meaning that the trickle of customers would slow to a crawl, turning from starstruck teens to elderly men and women longing for a taste of the signature curry crafted by Sakura. The evening sun shined through the windows and bathed the interior of the shop with a warm glow, inviting her to relax and close her eyes, to breathe and enjoy the moment. The sunshine meant so much more now that she was free from the bars, from the padded cell she had no right to be in.

The black and white cat sat lazily on a stool next to the two servers, basking itself in the glow and enjoying the comfort of returning to its true home. The cat got more sleep than she did. She was jealous.

“It’s just like old times.” Morgana sighed, stretching his back and proceeding to give a drawn out yawn. “Working the café until the afternoon. I missed this place.”

“Except you’re not the one working.” Akira Kurusu let a smile settle onto her face as the cat scoffed at her. “But yeah, I missed it too.”

“You’re talking to that cat again, aren’t you?” Sojiro’s bewildered face peered at her from the kitchen. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s just you kids playing a prank on me, seeing how much I’ll believe.”

“I wish I could talk to Boss!” Morgana groaned. “I’m sure he’d be nicer than you are.” The cat stuck his tongue out in defiance.

Akira scowled. “Keep saying that and it’s goodbye to the premium cat food.” She faked a sigh. “Back to that cheap brand, what a shame.”

“Okay, okay!” The cat hopped from his stool and scurried towards the booths. “I get it, you’re the best, I appreciate your generosity!”

“Damn straight.” Akira placed down a freshly washed cup and let her mind waver in and out of focus. It felt so odd, going from imprisonment to the place she desired in a single day. Her friends welcomed her with open arms, celebrating not only the release of their leader but the sort-of resurrection of their friend Mona. It was overwhelming. Scary. Jumping from a max of one interaction per day to a couple hundred was something she’d not considered to be a potential problem if she ever got released. At least her problems come with good side effects.

He had only hung around for a little while, uncomfortably trying to find something to say to her. The embrace they shared at the entrance of the store was the only one they would have that day, his saddened form finding every excuse to glide away from the heart of the party. From her. It wouldn’t help that he had yet to completely make up with all of them, to gain their complete trust, but by the fact he was invited it was enough. Akira had tried to find some excuse to talk to him, to find him alone, but she never got the chance. Yesterday was one long celebration after another, and nothing could break that chain without disrupting the entire party.

Sojiro’s eyes widened all of a sudden, peering up at the weather lady on TV. “Oh, right.” He turns to his employee. “Today’s Valentine’s day. No wonder there were so many guys bringing girls in.”

This information brought new context to their steady flow of customers during the morning hours, but also shocked Akira. It was already the fourteenth of February? In an ideal world she’d be able to plan something out for somebody she had given her heart to, but this was not an ideal world. She had no idea how one person in particular felt about her after all this time, if their small moments together meant more to her than they did to him. Everything was complicated, and she didn’t have the energy to fix any troubles that would arise. She just wanted to sleep and eat something other than bland soup. Maybe read a book that hasn’t been picked by Sae Niijima for once.

“Don’t you have anything exciting happening?” Sojiro smirked. “I mean, you’ve lived her a whole year. Surely a girl like you has pulled some fool in.” He gazed out of the window, his smirk fading into a fonder grimace. “You know, when I was young, hoo boy…”

The ring of the store’s bell snapped them both out of their whimsical thoughts, ready to serve yet another cup of coffee to yet another young couple.

To their surprise, there instead stood a pleasant looking boy in a casual winter sweater, standing in the doorway with no discernible expression on his face. The coffee cup in Akira’s hand made a quick journey to the bench, loudly clattering to join the others and thankfully not chipping anything important.

“Pardon my intrusion.” The pleasant boy moved shaggy brown hair out of his face. He looked more like he was preparing for a deadly mission than going to a café in the evening. “May I come in?”

“The usual, coming right-” Sojiro’s hand froze before reaching a new cup from the rack. His eyes darted to Akira, and then to the boy standing in the entrance. He looked between them slowly before smiling. “Oh, you should’ve just told me.”

Akira was now jealous of girls with longer hair who could hide their faces behind their flowing locks. There was nothing to cover the red that spread from her cheeks to her entire face.

Sojiro lifted a small key from the table and slid it across the counter to the black-haired girl. “Here, I’ll leave the store to you.”

Akira had no words. Instead of furiously denying anything or coyly agreeing to his suspicion, she simply stared out at the visitor, starstruck, confused. He’d come to visit her, today of all days? Did he understand what that usually meant?

Sojiro removed his apron and hung it from the hook in the kitchen before approaching the exit, waiting for the boy in the sweater to move to the side as he reached for the door. The cat followed him, knowing his boundaries in what was likely going to be an awkward social scenario.

Sojiro stopped before he made it outside. “Enjoy yourselves.” His eyes locked with the brown haired boys, piercing his soul with a gaze of pure danger. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret later. You understand me?”

“Yes, sir.”

And with that, both the Boss and the cat vacated the store, leaving Akira and the intruder completely alone (save for whatever bugs Futaba had planted that they couldn’t find).

“Would you mind sitting with me?” The pleasant boy gestured to the booth beside him.

“Coffee?” Was the only word Akira could manage as she fumbled her way through the equipment, already scrambling together a drink before she received her answer. She knew it would be a yes.

  
“I would love that, thank you.” He affirms her suspicion with a raise of an eyebrow. He found his seat at the booth, waiting somewhat nervously as the girl prepared a drink for him.

The earlier shakes remained, somewhat impairing her speed, but she had memorised the way he liked it. Five sugars. Sickly sweet. Mostly milk. It was a childish blend, but it was funny because of how mature he usually acted.

She eventually brought two steaming cups of coffee to the table, placing one before the boy and the other where she would soon slide in, sitting opposite her visitor.

Face to face with Goro Akechi, it was painfully obvious how much she missed him, her eyes never leaving his face in the fear that if she looked away it’d disappear forever. Their previous interactions had left so much to be desired, so much time lost between the two of them clouding what they felt inside their hearts. What was left was confusion, yet clarity. Ignorance with an underlay of understanding.

“I hope I didn’t inconvenience anyone by showing up unannounced.” Goro turned his head to peer at the door, the sign having been swung to “closed” upon Sojiro’s exit. “Boss was quite understanding, although a little bit intimidating.” He let out a small laugh.

“I guess facing down the shadows of humanity doesn’t prepare you for the dangers of a father figure.” Akira plays along with his quip, admiring the dimple that appeared on his face with his smile. His real smile. “I feel bad for future Futaba-chan.”

“Yikes. Me too.” Goro grimaced. “I’m sure it was far worse for me because of my past. Of what I’ve done. The son of his greatest enemy…”

“He knows the truth.” Akira reassured him. “I think he empathises with you. He knows firsthand the evil that was Masayoshi Shido.”

Goro let the room go silent as he slowly sipped away at his coffee. Before long he said “Thank you for spending this time with me today. I half expected you to say no, or to have someone else here.”

There could be no-one else. She had plenty of male friends, but she was too close with them, none of them matched the tension she felt when she was around Goro. At first she thought it was similar to how the other girls felt when they swooned over him, but her inner turmoil was more daring, more complex. The dynamic of befriending the one who was publicly hunting you and your friends excited her, brought her closer to him in an intimate way. She wanted to know his secrets, to see if he truly was the public figure she disagreed with on live television all those months ago. It seems she was wrong, and then wrong again after he joined her team and they clashed in the boiler room of the cruise ship.

She didn’t have this connection to Ryuji, or to Yusuke or the meek Mishima. There was nothing of that sort for any other guy she knew to the point where she began to doubt if she was the type of romantic relationships in the first place. Things changed.

“I don’t think anyone else would be visiting me today.” Akira admitted. “Unless they’re a secret admirer.”

“If they want to see you, they can wait in line.” Goro smiled as he lifted a gloved hand and placed it on the table, half the distance between him and Akira. “I’ve been waiting for far too long to see you again.”

“Just when things seemed to be looking up…” She closes her eyes and tries hard not to picture the bars again. “I had to make that choice. It was the only way to save you all.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” Goro reached into his jacket and brought forth a small rectangular box, decorated bright red and sealed with a bow. “I want you to have this.” He slid the slid the box across to the bespectacled girl, anxiously awaiting a response. “I would have made it by hand, but I feared the tragedy that would occur had I stepped into the kitchen.”

Akira didn’t care. He could have found the box on the side of the street and she’d still be just as intrigued as to what was inside, still be as pleased that she was the one he chose to give a gift to on this day.

With caution, the black haired girl untied the bow and moved it to the side before sliding the box open. Inside a finely sculpted piece of chocolate lay, shaped in the shape of a cartoon cats head. She recognised the cat as the mascot of an expensive chocolate brand, which made her all the more flattered to receive such a high-class gift. Considering the one who gave it to her, it was no surprise it was the best of the best.

  
“I thought it reminded me of you, just a little bit.” Goro smiled fondly before his face went bright red. “I-I hope you didn’t think I was trying to insult you!” His eyes widened as Akira smirked. “You’re just… Quiet, inquisitive…”

“Is that all?” Akira teased him.

  
“And cute.” Goro found his confidence again and resumed the same charismatic smile of his that made Akira’s heart spin around in circles. “I think that’s the most important part.”

Akira exhaled sharply as she looked down at the cat. She’d have preferred to play off his flattery like it meant nothing, but she found herself shaking even harder. This moment was one she’d fantasised about when she was younger, sharing an evening with some boy who had captured her heart. She didn’t know it’d be like this, with Goro Akechi.

She thinks that maybe she likes it like this, and not the more idealistic way she’d pictured it years and years ago. She surely didn’t expect a duel to the death to be a precursor to a first date.

“I appreciate this.” She took the modestly sized candy from the box and lifted it to her lips. Normally she’d wait until later to appreciate a gift like this, but it occurred to her that she hadn’t eaten something in the same calibre as chocolate for the longest time. She wasn’t particularly fond of sweet things, but as a rich taste of the confectionery hit her taste buds she felt a feeling indescribable.

It was just chocolate, but when she tasted it she felt as though she was slowly returning to normal. It would take a while, but nothing lasted forever. Her freedom was assured, and she could do whatever she wanted with it.

She jolted when she felt impact, a gloved hand reaching over to caress her cheek. It was affectionate, and seemed oddly soft for a moment until he pulled away with moisture gathering on the tip of his finger.

“Was my gift that thoughtful?” He tread as if he was on thin ice, worried that his words somehow offend. His demeanour since reuniting with the former leader of the Phantom Thieves was uncharacteristically skittish, as if a single word could shatter the atmosphere and snap their bond in two. In a soft voice he called out to her. “Are you alright?”

She placed the now ear-less cat chocolate back into the box and slid the lid back onto it. “I’m okay.”

“That’s a relief.” Goro leaned back and shook his head. “To make a girl cry on Valentine’s day would surely be a crime and I don’t want to have to turn myself in.”

The two shared a chuckle, one that ended prematurely for Akechi as he gazed carefully at the cheerful face of the black-haired girl.

“I’m grateful that you were released in time for us to spend this day together.” His face and the box of chocolate shared a common colour as his smile became sheepish. “I’ve received countless chocolates from admirers over the years, but this is the first time I’ve given something. I’m glad it was to you.”

“I’m sorry that I didn’t get you anything.” Akira scolded herself. She should’ve paid more attention, and maybe then she could’ve noticed the date and bought something in town. “I feel bad.”

“Don’t.” Akechi demanded. “I never expected to even give you this in person, let alone receive something in return.” His deadly serious tone aimed to calm her, and it somehow worked instantly. “Besides, there’s always White Day.” He ended with a wink.

“Isn’t it meant to be the other way around?” Akira joked, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. “It’s the girl who gives the gift on Valentine’s and the guy who returns it in March.”

“When have we ever been ones to do things by the book?”

It was a good point, and so Akira had no further comeback. The two finished their drinks in comfortable silence, stealing glances at the other. The ice that had formed during their time apart had begun to melt, but both of them seemed unsure of where things would be heading next.

“The group who were formerly the Phantom Thieves have treated me well.” Goro said as he placed his cup down for the final time. “Things are healing, I suppose. I was allowed to help find the evidence to free you and was even invited for dinner a few times.” Akira’s heart filled with warmth at the detective’s words, knowing of his life-long longing for acceptance. She hoped that with her help, the others would truly see him as one of their own.

The evening sun cast more and more shadows as it came down, soon threatening to send Leblanc into total darkness. No-one cared enough to turn on the lights.

Things flowed back like a river, raging with a single intent: reflection.

She had lived in this small café for almost an entire year now. She’s worked the counter for hours on end, sat at this very booth with friends and strangers alike. The smell of the wood, the feel of the leather beneath her. The laminate of the table, the texture of the cups used for coffee, the sound of the bells ringing upon entry… Even the strange lack of privacy from having stairs as a bedroom door was something that was so sorely missed.

But even that will go away when she returns back to the city in a short few months. The movement she and her friends created, the legend of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, all of it will remain a dear memory. Although to change society would be a task only fit for a god, the bonds they formed between each of them made it all the more worth it.

Akira Kurusu wasn’t the same girl who courageously stepped in front of a drunk man during his embarrassment of a local women. She had changed the world, and in turn the world had changed her.

“Life won’t be the same, huh?” Akira mumbled, letting out a large sigh

“No.” Her guest affirmed. “No, it won’t.”

“It’s childish, but…” She begins, finding her voice to be little more than a whimper. “I wanted it to last forever.” The tears from before began to find their place on the table, streaming freely. This time Goro didn’t move to wipe them away. “I just don’t know how to move on.”

She got no proper closure, no resolution. One moment she was a Phantom Thief, the next she was serving a sentence in isolation for a crime she didn’t commit. She’d spent so much time as Joker that sometimes she forgot how to be Akira.

And that scared her.

She couldn’t simply return to normal because she had forgotten what normal was.

“Neither do I.” And in that moment, Goro and Akira were no longer on opposing sides. He was beside her, spiritually and physically. He slid next to her without permission or warning, his hands clasped together in his lap. “But I’m sure we can figure that out together, right?” They both needed to sort themselves out, to recover their identities after so long being controlled by the god of control. Perhaps it was fate that set them apart, but their defiance of that destiny brought them together.

“You’ll search for the answer with me?” He’s taller than her, so she raises her head to meet his gaze. “One last mission for a pair of phantom thieves?”

“I desire that more than anything.” He swallowed hard. “To search for the future with you.”

He was close, now, closer than he might have ever been before. His casual touch brought them closer, the two of them captured by his words. Her eyes closed as she takes in his words, his promise of a future as alluring as the memories that brought her to tears in the first place. She didn’t know what hung in the air between them, no matter how hard she might have tried to search in the past. She only knew that Goro Akechi meant a lot to her. How could they move on from being Joker and Crow, from being a Phantom Thief and the culprit of the mental shutdown case? They were far too connected to not find that answer together. Yet doubt remained.

“Prove it.”

Before she could open her eyes, he had his proof. He moved in an instinctual path towards her, his head turning downwards as he captured her lips with his. She felt the breath leave her body through her nose as he used a gloved hand to tilt her face further upwards. He hungered for more, to be wanted, deepening their kiss with an obsessive lust as his other hand moved to caress her cheek. Akira simply allowed herself to be taken over, the dominant persona of Joker not bothering to rear her head. This is what she wanted, one way or another. She pushed against him, meeting his aggression while squeezing her eyes to remain shut.

Even as they parted, they allowed the contact to linger, eyes fixed on the other in assurance that what was happening had no ulterior motive. Motives be damned, they both knew exactly what was going on. They simply had too much built in threat detection to allow it to happen easily.

“I love you, Akira.” He assured with a smile. It was clear he hadn’t expected her to be so willing to go along with what had just happened. “I’m sure that much was clear by now.”

It was. She leaned into him, arms snaking their way around his neck to ensure minimum distance to the pleasant boy sitting beside her. She breathed in his scent, smiling when she catches something reminiscent of maple syrup. How could one person be so captivating, be so interesting to spend time with? She needed more. They both needed more of each other. The other pieces on the board had been claimed to the point where all was left to do was to wait for one of the two kings to submit to the other.  
Instead they found peace.

Goro Akechi was in love with her. If she was told that fact half a year ago she’d have spat out her drink in pure horror. It didn’t seem too bad now.

She lifted herself off the seat ever so slightly, giving herself access to assault the lips of the detective prince. He widened his eyes at her eagerness, bringer himself down again to be closer to the girl with the black hair. He reached out to touch a lock of the raven curls, curious to discover the reason why she was always toying with it. It was soft. Unrealistically so.

Akira needed to be closer, needed the compassion offered by the shaggy haired boy. She needed to show him the affection he had been deprived off, the care, the touch of someone who truly loves him. This didn’t feel like the start of anything, nor the ignition of a spark long considered. It felt like a natural continuation of their relationship. Necessity.

She needs more, but she runs out of breath sooner than anticipated. She lets herself touch the seat again. “You think I would spend Valentine’s day with you if I wasn’t in love with you, too?” She pants heavily, her glasses ever so slightly foggy from the intensity of their contact.

“I didn’t say I was in love.” Goro let their contact lessen and become more casual, the space between them offering comfort with enough affection. “Being in love is a want, a desire. I feel that, too. But I said I love you. You’ve made it so I can’t help but need you in my life, by my side.”

“Okay, smart-ass.” Akira takes his hand, covering his fingers with hers. “I love you. Happy?”

The detective grinned. “I suppose that’s satisfactory.” Her heart soared as she squeezed his hand tighter, letting out another deep breath.

“It better be.”

The two were once again enveloped in silence, unsure of what next to say or how to proceed from this point. Neither of them had gotten this far yet, had thought things out past this point in time. The darkness overtook them, and Akechi eventually had to move to turn on the lights of the café.

“Wait.” Akira stopped him, taking a stand from the booth she had spent eternity in. “Let’s head upstairs.”

To this, Goro simply nodded slowly and followed the girl up the stairs when she made the first move.

“It’s cold.” Akira noticed, closing her window before taking a seat on the worn couch. She motioned for the nervous detective to join her, and so he did, wrapping an arm around her. “That’s better.”

“If you want to be close, you don’t need to try that hard.”

“It actually is really cold, though.”

Goro laughed. Akira watched him gaze at her room, at each of the mementos on her shelf, to the desk covered with various tools for lock-pick crafting. She heard him let out a shaky breath.

“You’re going back to your hometown in less than a month, right?” He looked at her. She nodded. “Perhaps I should come with you, start a new life somewhere nobody knows.” He chuckled sadly. Akira knew that couldn’t happen, but the idea of it brought a smile to her face. “I’ve already been accepted into the University of Tokyo, however, so I don’t think that’s quite possible.”

He stared down at the face of the black-haired girl. This moment in time, their connection. The touch was only temporary, and that made him furious. He craved more, he was desperately impatient. “And what, I wonder, will happen to us?”

He didn’t need to elaborate. She smiled. “Things won’t change. We can visit each other. The internet exists.”

  
“Free time is the concern, here.”

“That doesn’t matter. We’ll find a way. I’ll make sure of it.”

Akira leaned up for a chaste kiss, one that send a jolt down Goro’s spine. It was a dare, a challenge to prove her wrong because she knew he couldn’t. He smiled as he came in for more, hungry and affectionate. As he pulled back, he licked his lips. “You’re right, again. I’ve waited all this time for your release, so living a little further apart can’t hurt too much, can it?”

Akechi breathed her in as he rested his head against her, his body pressing up against hers in search of warmth. “I could almost fall asleep like this, you know.”

“Feel free to do that.”

“No, I don’t think I will.” He turned himself so that he was facing her. The distance between them shrunk ever closer by the second, his hands finding themselves on her shirt, pulling her closer. He toyed with her top button between his finger and his thumb, finding her lips again. “There’s one last mystery I need to solve. Won’t you cooperate?”

She once said she was the Watson to his Sherlock Holmes. That didn’t apply now, in the attic of Leblanc, pressed against each other in a passionate embrace. For now she was his prime suspect. This was new, bizarre and exciting. It didn’t have to be normal. That could come later.

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first attempt at a purely romance story, so I hope I didn't screw things up too badly. I really enjoy the dynamic between these two characters and dammit if Atlus won't make FemC or date-able Akechi possible then I'll do it myself.  
> I hope people enjoy this, kinda annoyed I didn't think to write this near Valentine's Day but whatever, half a month away is good enough for me.


End file.
